A Tolkien Bestiary

This C2 reading task focuses on interpreting a literary book review that combines personal reflection with cultural commentary. The text reviews A Tolkien Bestiary by David Day, exploring both the emotional value of the book to the reviewer and its wider significance within Tolkien scholarship.

Learners are required to complete a multiple-choice lexical cloze, selecting precise vocabulary items that fit the semantic, stylistic, and collocational demands of the text. The task targets advanced lexical awareness, particularly in relation to formal and semi-archaic register, figurative language, and nuanced meaning.

The extract challenges candidates to:

• Distinguish between near-synonyms based on contextual appropriacy

• Recognise how vocabulary contributes to tone and authorial attitude

• Understand references to literary tradition, mythology, and fandom culture

• Process dense descriptive passages with embedded cultural allusions

Overall, the task develops high-level reading skills essential for C2, including lexical sensitivity, inference, and appreciation of stylistic effect, while engaging learners with a culturally rich and intellectually demanding text.